Horses and More at a Horse Farm in Kingston, MA

A PDP (Plymouth Digital Photographers) member offered to host our camera club at his daughter's horse farm in Kingston, MA and 18 of us from PDP went to visit last week. A beautiful farm with the most generous and welcoming family, we were given open access to the riders, helpers and horses. Everyone loved it, and many photos were taken! If we are lucky more people will invite us to see a glimpse of their working life, we get to make images and the people that invite us have access to the photographs we create. A lovely day for everyone!

Beautiful place!

Nicole jumping for us, very focused.

This is her gorgeous horse. Ears back is not what you want on a horse portrait. 

Ears forward is much better. Now you know, too :-)

                                          

Jeanne talking to the very friendly horses, they enjoyed all the attention!

Love the bangs!

Linda, happy horse farm owner.

Linda and her dad, Phil.

Cover girl horse, she has been on catalog and magazine covers. 

Getting the shot... 

Gene getting kisses from a friendly horse…maybe a nibble or two. They were very gentle.

A handsome gal, alert, too.

Diane and a few of her chickens.  I love that she lets them live out their lives here on the farm even after they have stopped producing eggs, they are part of the family.

                                      

My friend Graham with his fiancé Marlene were at the farm, too. We will be attending their wedding in July, Congratulations!

My camera and me in Lucca, Italy

April in Lucca, a wonderful place to be! Warm and sunny most days, in a vibrant outdoors lifestyle, walking to all the places you can imagine. I loved the immersion in Italian culture, living in a small town that has thrived for around 2 thousand years, amazing in so many ways. 

My 2 weeks here with Joe and Ian, and my photographer friends was fantastic!

South of Lucca, about an hour.

Birds and Photography at Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

What a beautiful day today for our camera club's spring visit to MBO to see birds being banded in Plymouth. Joe, Ian and I are back home from our travels, Ian's off birding the state, Joe's blogging about Italy (see his great images and posts at http://joesretirementblog.blogspot.com) and I'm back photographing with my camera club. I have many images from my time in France and Italy still to play with, but for today I will post what I did today, which was a lot of fun!

Every Spring and Fall the birds migrate along the Massachusetts coast and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences has been tracking the birds involved for 30+ years. A group of 20 photographers met there this morning to learn about the process, raise some funds for my favorite non-profit, enjoy the birds and take photos of them in hand. 

Sweet one. White Throated Sparrow.

Inquisitive Blue Jay held by a new intern.

On the  bluffs listening to Trevor tell us about the birds and answer questions.

My friend Bill and his bird who didn't fly away!

Trevor and… I need Ian to ID the birds...

Hairy Woodpecker.

Catching them flying away is such a challenge!

A harried Hairy Woodpecker.

Tufted Titmouse.

Gray Catbird showing off his pretty wings.

Saying goodbye for now...

France by small camera.

These were taken with my iPhone 5S and processed using Snapseed. A few were posted on my Facebook page, so those images may look familiar to some of you that are active Facebook friends.

I love the ease of capturing a moment quickly and unobtrusively with a small camera. The panoramic, HDR and automatic download to my laptop features are great, too.

The street we live on in Arles. Jack Russell is by far the most popular dog in Arles. 

Arles arena.

St Remy ...next 3 images as well.

Van Gogh sanitarium.

Arles, the Rhone river.

Aix en Provence flower market.

Arles street looking pretty.

Camargue horses.

Looking at Gordes, a perfect Provence hilltop town.

Roussillon, best color town award! 

Roussillon, recognize the warm tones?